A leading UW-Madison researcher who served as a key White House science advisor will discuss efforts to improve worker diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the Tuesday, Aug. 28 Tech Council Innovation Network luncheon meeting in Madison.

Dr. Jo Handelsman, director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery at the UW-Madison, will discuss why not enough women and minorities enter STEM professions – and how to retain those who plan to do so. She’ll also outline the evolving work of WID, one of the nation’s few interdisciplinary research centers.

The luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Hotel on Madison’s John Nolen Drive. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon and the presentation at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for students and returning veterans, $25 for individual members, $35 for non-members and included for Tech Council corporate members. Click here to register.

Handelsman served three years as a science advisor for President Obama as the associate director for science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Handelsman is also widely recognized for her contributions to science education and diversity in science. She was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 2011. Her curriculum is used by 280 colleges and universities that collectively reach 10,000 students per year.

“Handelsman is a leading researcher in understanding diversity in microbial communities and their role in infectious disease, and she’s also a national leader training the next generation of scientists,” said Tom Still, president of the Tech Council.

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